After weeks of teases and a handful of controversies, Janelle Monáe has released her long-awaited album, “The Age of Pleasure.” Monáe has described this work as her most vulnerable and decadent yet. She has also mentioned that the album was born out of a need for a redefinition of community while in the pandemic. The album, which is her fourth, is also a nod to the unity of Blackness.
“[I] was inspired by all of my friends, my community of folks who are from South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, the Caribbean, Atlanta, L.A., Chicago. Seeing all of us together in our Blackness, in the love that we had in our eyes for each other. People from the continent fuck around with trap from Atlanta. You know what I’m saying? I love how the diaspora — we talk to each other,” Monáe told Rolling Stone for her June cover story.
An Eclectic Tracklist and Genre
“The Age of Pleasure” has a host of collaborators and featured artists pulled from different genres and disciplines. The album features, Seun Kuti who is the youngest son of Africa’s foremost Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti. Other new age Afrobeats artists such as Ckay and Amaarae also appear on the new work. Fans can also expect to hear American rapper Doechii, and the iconic Grace Jones and Sister Nancy. Plus, actress Nia Long makes an appearance. The collaborator choices follow Monáe’s tradition of pulling inspiration from unpredictable places.
Monáe also experiments and dabbles into a number of genres outside of her typical sound. Genres such as Afropop, Reggae, and Amapiano feature heavily in this project.
A Warm Reception
So far, “The Age of Pleasure” has been receiving positive reviews. The album has been described as an escape from the harsh complexities of being alive at this time.
“For all its narrative flair, ‘The Age of Pleasure’ is actually more about making space than telling a story, and that’s why this album is more instantly beguiling than her previous releases, whose high concepts could result in a certain chilliness,” Ann Powers wrote in NPR.
Additionally, Pitchfork rated the album a high 7.6, stating that “’The Age of Pleasure’ revels in an ecclesiastic enjoyment of indulgence.”